AquAdvantage salmon is a genetically modified (GM) Atlantic salmon developed by AquaBounty Technologies. A growth hormone-regulating gene from a Pacific Chinook salmon and a promoter from an ocean pout were added to the Atlantic’s 40,000 genes. These genes enable it to grow year-round instead of only during spring and summer. The purpose of the modifications is to increase the speed at which the fish grows, without affecting its ultimate size or other qualities. The fish grows to market size in 16 to 18 months rather than three years.
The company has developed hybrid salmon, trout, and tilapia designed to grow faster than traditional fish.
Their hybrid Atlantic salmon incorporates a gene from a Chinook salmon, which bears a single copy of the stably integrated α-form of the opAFP-GHc2 gene construct at the α-locus in the EO-1α line (Ocean Pout AKA Eel). AquaBounty has patented and trademarked this fish as the AquAdvantage salmon, a sterile Atlantic salmon female that can grow to market size in half the time of conventional salmon.
The company also produces antifreeze proteins; and conducts research and development programs related to the commercialization of cryo preservatives and the antifreeze gene constructs.
The data demonstrated that the inserted genes remained stable over several generations of fish, that food from the GE salmon is safe to eat by humans and animals, that the genetic engineering is safe for the fish, and the salmon meets the sponsor’s claim about faster growth.
A genetically modified salmon was first developed in 1989 using an antifreeze protein-based technology under license from the University of California at Berkeley. The company was originally incorporated in 1991, under the name A/F Protein. It was 1993 before AquaBounty sought regulatory guidance from the FDA and 1995 before it initiated its application to commercialize.
In 1996, A/F Protein acquired a license to the AquAdvantage technology from the University of Toronto and Memorial University of Newfoundland, and was subsequently reorganized in 2000, into two separate entities: A/F Protein, which retained the antifreeze protein technology; and, AquaBounty Farms, which obtained the AquAdvantage technology.
The fish grows at about twice the natural rate, reaching maturity in 1 1/2 to two years. Both conventional and the AquAdvantage salmon are the same size when fully grown.
In addition, FDA assessed the environmental impacts of approving this application and found that the approval would not have a significant impact on the environment of the United States. That’s because the multiple containment measures the company will use in the land-based facilities in Panama and Canada make it extremely unlikely that the fish could escape and establish themselves in the wild.
Housed inside specially designed buildings, our salmon will be raised in optimized conditions. Total control of the water coming in and going out allows for removal of wastes (sludge) and recycling of greater than 95% of the water used, and water discharges that can be used by other enterprises such as hydroponic produce farmers.
